High reliability high flow redundant trip block

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10119478-B2
Application number	US-201514750750-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 25, 2015
Priority date	Jun 25, 2015
Publication date	Nov 6, 2018
Grant date	Nov 6, 2018

Abstract

A trip block is provided. The trip block includes a single housing which commonly houses multiple valve assemblies. Each valve assembly includes a rotary valve member arrangement. The rotary valve member arrangement includes a spool and a sleeve with a predefined radial clearance between the spool and sleeve.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A trip block, comprising:
a housing having an inlet, an outlet, and a plurality of interconnected passageways;
a plurality of valve assemblies, wherein a portion of each valve assembly is housed within the housing, wherein each valve assembly of the plurality of valve assemblies includes a rotary valve member arrangement and an actuator for actuating the rotary valve member arrangement;
wherein each one of the plurality of valve assemblies is arranged within the housing to govern a flow of fluid between the inlet and the outlet;
wherein the rotary valve member arrangement of each one of the plurality of valve assemblies includes a spool rotatably disposed within a sleeve;
wherein the spool includes a shaft and at least one valve member mounted to the shaft
wherein the at least one valve member is cup-shaped and includes a plurality of ports extending through a sidewall of the at least one valve member;
wherein an interior surface of the sidewall of the at least one valve member includes a continuous groove which extends across each one of the plurality of ports such that the side wall has a reduced cross sectional thickness in an area of each port.

2. A trip block, comprising:
a housing having an inlet and an outlet;
a first valve assembly partially disposed within a first cavity of the housing, the first cavity extending normal to a direction of flow between the inlet and outlet;
a second valve assembly partially disposed within a second cavity of the housing, the second cavity normal to the direction of flow between the inlet and the outlet;
a third valve assembly partially disposed within a third cavity of the housing, the third cavity normal to the direction of flow between the inlet and the outlet;
a first flow passage extending only between the first cavity and the second cavity;
a second flow passage extending only between the first cavity and the second cavity;
a third flow passage extending only between the second cavity and the third cavity; and
a fourth flow passage extending between the first cavity, the second cavity, and the third cavity.

3. The trip valve of claim 2 , wherein each of the first, second, and third flow passages includes an enlarged portion at endpoints of the respective first, second, and third flow passage.

4. The trip valve of claim 3 , wherein the enlarged portion has a cross sectional area normal to a direction of flow between the inlet and the outlet which is larger than a cross sectional area normal to the direction of flow of each respective flow passage adjacent the enlarged portion thereof.

5. The trip valve of claim 3 , wherein the first, second, and third valve assemblies each includes a rotary valve member arrangement, an actuator for actuating the rotary valve member arrangement, and a return device coupled to the valve member arrangement.

6. The trip valve of claim 5 , wherein the rotary valve member arrangement includes a spool rotatably mounted within a sleeve of the rotary valve member arrangement.

7. The trip valve of claim 6 , wherein the sleeve includes a plurality of seals along an outer periphery thereof for sealingly engaging an interior surface of the housing.

8. The trip block of claim 6 , wherein a radial gap is formed between an outer periphery of at least one valve member of the spool and an inner periphery of the sleeve.

9. The trip block of claim 8 , wherein the radial gap is 0.0005 inches to 0.005 inches.

10. The trip block of claim 6 , wherein the spool is rotatably supported by a bearing adjacent each end of the spool, wherein the bearings are axially outside of a plurality of seals of the valve assembly such that the bearings are not exposed to a fluid flowing through the housing.

11. A method for making a trip block, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a housing;
situating a portion of each of a plurality of valve assemblies within said housing, wherein each valve assembly includes a rotary valve member arrangement;
wherein the step of providing the housing includes providing the housing with a first, a second, and a third cavity extending parallel to one another, and providing the housing with a first flow passage extending only between the first cavity and the second cavity, a second flow passage extending only between the first cavity and the second cavity, a third flow passage extending only between the second cavity and the third cavity, and a fourth flow passage extending between the first cavity, the second cavity, and the third cavity.

Assignees

• Been John J
• Zrubek Michael S
• Workman Jonathan P
• Woodward Inc

Inventors

• Been John J
• Zrubek Michael S
• Workman Jonathan P

Classifications

• F15B13/0842

  Monoblock type valves, e.g. with multiple valve spools in a common housing · CPC title

• F16K27/04

  of sliding valves · CPC title

• F15B13/0406

  for rotary valves · CPC title

• F02C9/26 Primary

  Control of fuel supply (F02C9/48 takes precedence; fuel valves F02C7/232) · CPC title

• F01D21/18 Primary

  involving hydraulic means · CPC title